Rottweiler bit police officer’s bottom after owner ordered attack

Rottweiler: Third animal taken from Dundee house.© ADRK

A police officer was bitten on the bottom after a man ordered his pet Rottweiler to attack.

Martin Reeves, 52, was found guilty of ordering his dog, called Bonnie, to attack. The animal now faces being put down.

Perth Sheriff Court heard Reeves told the animal to "get them" and she bit PC Peter McAtamney on the bottom and then turned on his colleague.

The court was told that the dog managed to open a door on her own before biting PC Craig McLeod on the legs and arm, leaving him needing hospital treatment.

The officers had gone to the home of Reeves's son, also Martin, 24, to impose a spot fine upon him when a fracas broke out and the dog was told to attack.

Giving evidence the officers described how Reeves initially tried to calm his son, but when they started brawling with him he shouted at Bonnie to "get them".

Giving evidence, Reeves denied the officers claims that they had been bitten, and said: "The dog's not like that. My son said things to the police that annoyed them. They started grappling in the hallway. At that moment the dog was in the living room and he knows how to turn the handle. It's a clever dog - not a daftie. It knows how to open the door.

"She came through and saw the fracas in the hall. She saw me and Martin rolling about with the police. It was just being protective towards us. Your dog is meant to be your best friend.

"The dog wouldn't understand the command - it's just a puppy. It happened so quickly, in the blink of an eye. I'm not guilty, and neither's my dog."

Sheriff Eric Brown found Reeves, Stanley Crescent, Perth, guilty of assaulting PCs Peter McAtamney and Craig McLeod by commanding Bonnie to attack them.

Reeves was also found guilty of being the owner of a dangerously out of control dog at John Law Court, Auchterarder, on February 3, whereby it repeatedly bit the officers to their injury.

Sheriff Brown deferred sentence to a later date. He will hear background on the dog's character and decide if it should be destroyed.

Reeves jnr has been ordered to carry out 180 hours unpaid work after he admitted refusing to turn down music and making sexual comments about police officers' families during the same incident.

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